Four Iraqi Suspects to Face German Trial Over Alleged Islamic State Roles

DRESDEN, Germany — Four Iraqi nationals are set to face charges in a German court over allegations that they were members of a foreign terrorist organization while abroad, Dresden prosecutors said Tuesday.

The men, ages 27 to 43, were arrested earlier this year in Plauen, Chemnitz and Leipzig, all cities in the eastern state of Saxony. Dresden is the state capital. They remain in pretrial detention.

Prosecutors accuse each of the four of independently serving as fighters or border guards for different Islamic State units in Iraq roughly 10 to 12 years ago. All are alleged to have received payment for that work.

The alleged offenses took place in Iraq, according to prosecutors. They said investigators could not establish that any of the defendants were involved with the Islamic State after entering Germany.

The case now goes to the Dresden Higher Regional Court, which must decide whether to proceed to trial. If the court admits the charges, trial dates can then be scheduled.

The proceedings reflect Germany's long-running effort to hold alleged foreign fighters accountable for crimes committed abroad, even when there is no accusation of plotting attacks on German soil. Such cases often rely on evidence gathered from conflict zones, witness testimony and records that can take years to assemble.

For now, the court's next step will determine whether the four men face a full trial in Dresden or whether the case is resolved before a courtroom hearing. If a trial goes ahead, it could draw attention to how German courts handle allegations tied to the Islamic State's past operations in Iraq.